The British ambassador to Argentina stormed out of a meeting after a local politician wore a shirt claiming the Falklands are Argentinian.
Agustina Propato was labelled a troublemaker after upsetting the British Ambassador to Argentina, Kirsty Hayes with her attire, referring to her as a “Thatcher representative”.
Hayes reportedly refused to participate in the group photo after the populist politician wore a t-shirt which read “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentinian”).
The shirt also featured a map of the disputed islands, in the blue and white colours of the Argentinian flag.
Agustina Propato wore the shirt at the event
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The incident occurred during a meeting in Buenos Aires between an Argentinian Parliamentary Friendship Group and UK diplomatic representatives, led by Hayes.
When Propato refused to compromise by changing her t-shirt for the photo, a heated exchange ensued. Propato defended her stance, saying: “Our Malvinas dead are our relatives.”
The diplomat responded: “We lost people too.”
Martin Tetaz, a centrist MP from the Radical Civil Union, who attended the meeting to strengthen the countries’ bilateral relationship, accused Propato of demagoguery.
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Wellwishers waving British flags as they bid farewell to troops sailing on QE2 as it departs for Falkland Islands GETTYTetaz said: “You take the biscuit when it comes to demagoguery. We listened to you respectfully, then we joined you in the photo with the Malvinas t-shirt, and finally, we asked if you would take a picture with the ambassador without the t-shirt, as it’s not appropriate to force an ambassador to pose with someone wearing a message they disagree with.
“What would have happened if the ambassador had shown up with a t-shirt saying ‘The Falklands are British’? We would have considered it an offence, and no one would have volunteered for that photo.
“In the end, two photos were taken separately – one with the t-shirt and one with the ambassador – missing a valuable opportunity to advance the diplomatic understanding necessary to reclaim the islands through the only viable means, diplomacy.”
Propato doubled down, criticising the British Ambassador, stating: “She demanded I remove my t-shirt, saying she wouldn’t take part in the official photo otherwise.
“In honour of our fallen heroes, Malvinas veterans, and all our compatriots, I wore, and will always wear, the words ‘LAS MALVINAS SON ARGENTINAS’ on my heart.”
Buenos Aires said that it intended to restore its sovereignty over the islandsGettyThe UK and Argentina went to war over the British overseas territory in 1982. The invasion claimed the lives of 255 British servicemen, three islanders and 649 Argentinian personnel.
Right-wing Argentinian President Milei has previously vowed to get the islands back through diplomatic channels but said there was “no instant solution.”
It comes after he promised a “roadmap” for the islands to become Argentine, on the 42nd anniversary of the Falklands War in early April.
He had criticised politicians who “beat their chests demanding sovereignty of the islands, but without any result”.